GOD'S WORD Translation GW
New International Version NIV
17 If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell?
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If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?
18 So God put each and every part of the body together as he wanted it.
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But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
19 How could it be a body if it only had one part?
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If they were all one part, where would the body be?
20 So there are many parts but one body.
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As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 An eye can't say to a hand, "I don't need you!" Or again, the head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you!"
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The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”
22 The opposite is true. The parts of the body that we think are weaker are the ones we really need.
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On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 The parts of the body that we think are less honorable are the ones we give special honor. So our unpresentable parts are made more presentable.
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and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,
24 However, our presentable parts don't need this kind of treatment. God has put the body together and given special honor to the part that doesn't have it.
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while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
25 God's purpose was that the body should not be divided but rather that all of its parts should feel the same concern for each other.
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so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.
26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts share its suffering. If one part is praised, all the others share in its happiness.
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If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 You are Christ's body and each of you is an individual part of it.
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Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
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Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.